The mount Bego region is almost known for its rock-art with some impressive engraved rocks, but the site is also one of the earliest occupation of mountains datied to the early Neolithic of (ca. -5300 BC)
The site is divided into 7 sectors. Main ones are Les Merveilles sector and Fontanalba sector
| sectors | nb.rocks |
|---|---|
| Les Merveilles | 2542 |
| Fontanalba | 1704 |
| Valaurette | 34 |
| Sainte-Marie | 16 |
| Col du Sabion | 8 |
| Valmasque | 6 |
| Gordolasque | 1 |
| Vei del Bouc | 1 |
| TOTAL | 4312 |
The entire site is about 900 ha, with the large majority of engraved rocks in the France territory (Les Merveilles sector, Fontanalba sector, etc. )but also a sector in between France and Italy (Col du Sabion sector) and a rock in Italy (Vei del Bouc sector)
Engravings are displayed on rocks between ~1990 m to ~2700
Altitudes of the rocks with the names of the impressive ones
There is two main techniques with only a narrow regsitry shared
There’s about 20,000 figuratives pecked engravings
The main common engravings are, from large, horned figures engraved
The so-called impressive rocks are often those where anthropomorphs are engraved; while their represent only a small part of all figurative engravings.
| sectors | nom |
|---|---|
| Les Merveilles | Roche de la grande déesse |
| Les Merveilles | Roche de l’anthropomorphe aux bras en zigzag |
| Les Merveilles | Roche de l’Autel |
| Les Merveilles | Stèle du Chef de Tribu |
This is really important..
This is the lowest important concentration of engravings in the Merveilles sector
Zone 1 is characterised by numerous figures à franges
The most known rocks are the HBZZ
In the Arpette area lies the Roche de l’Homme aux bras en zigzag
The rocks main figure is an anthropomorph with arms in zigzag.
The zone 7 covers the Vallée des Merveilles area
The most known rocks are the Stèle du Chef de Tribu, the Roche du Christ and the Paroi Vitrifiée
This anthropomorph is quite famous
In the vallées de Merveilles lies the unique stelae of the site, the so-called Stèle du Chef de Tribu
This very large vertical pared is also the entrance of the Vallée des Merveilles
Only two pecked daggers at the bottom of the pared. Most of engravings are linear ones made with incisions
This is the rock with the more density of engravings in the whole site
This is the highest rock, but also the largest engraving of Les Merveilles sector
This is really important..
The Zone 13 (ie, the Valaurette sector) shows a distinctive profile with almost only topographic figure
It is equivalent to the zone 23 It has a unique engraved rock discovered by J. Begin.